Exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate to a cooling arrangement for a high power electric machine, such as a generator used in aerospace applications.
Aircraft powered by gas turbine engines often include a mechanically driven accessory gearbox which connects to accessory systems such as an electrical starter-generator or electric generator. High power density aircraft generators utilize an internal oil management system. The internal oil management system provides supplemental cooling to the generator main stator through a back iron oil flow. The back iron oil flow is additionally used to cool the stator end turns. However, the flow provided thereto is not controlled and the oil ultimately floods the rotor-stator air gap. The wet cavity creates by this flooding causing significant windage loss, which in turn reduces the operational efficiency of the machine.